Feb 27, 2016

Kendrick Lamar is definitely a better name, it sounds more personal, it gives the idea that the artist has nothing to hide

 

Feb 29, 2016

It is an interesting idea, not only does it put him out there, he's not hiding behind an alias or stage name and so he might be seen as more down to earth.
K. dot is more the name of a rapper, Kendrick Lamar could be in any genre really.

 

Feb 27, 2016

I don't think using K Dot would have affected his career.. Kendrick Lamar does sound more mature though

 

Feb 27, 2016

lol if his name was Lil Cac Killa then it would be funny asf

 

Feb 27, 2016

That's very true. K.Dot isn't really an aggressive or controversial name. I sometimes wonder that because it sounds very generic people may have thought Kendrick was just another generic rapper with not much to offer or who doesn't have much to say. In comparison, the name Kendrick Lamar sounds more "intelligent" and approachable if that makes sense.

 

Feb 27, 2016

Just imagine that Kendrick Lamar still released KLEP, OD, Section.80, GKMC and TPAB but he still went by his old stage/street name "K.Dot".

Do you think he would still be as respected by such a large audience and fan base for his "conscious" lyrics, songs and concepts?

Would he still be as popular as he is amongst people who aren't usually fans of Hip Hop or would people judge him differently because of his name?

I'm just wondering if a rapper's name can affect people's initial (or even long-term) perception of them.
Several rappers have changed their names throughout their careers to be taken more seriously or rebrand their image.
Also, some rappers have put certain people off of listening to their music, or created misleading perceptions, because of their name (e.g. Joey Bada$$).